Means fob stabtibtg internal-combustion engines



Aug. 9, 1927. Re. 16,595

`C. F. HEYWOOD -uEANs FOR STARTING INTERNAL coMBE'sTIoN ENGINES Original Filed Aug; 27. 1921 2 Sheetsshet l d f l Ad M E E 1 n f ,Y N @2S 1 ,6 5 Aug 9 1927 c. F. HEYwooD Re 6 9 MEANS FOR STARTI-NG INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Original Filed Aug. 27. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Reis-sued Aug. 9, a

UNITED STATES l CHARLES FREDERICK .HEYW

PATENT OFFICE.

oon, ornr'rnorr, MICHIGAN.

MEANS FOR STARTING INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES. y y

' Original No. 1,481,091, dated January 15, 1924, Serial No. 495,916, lcd August 27, 1921. Application for reissue tied January 11, 1926. Serial No. 80,682.

arm uf umn s, 1921 41 sm. L., 131s.)

(Original patent granted under the provisions DIVISION A.

This invention relates to the starting of multicylinder internal combustion engines with the aid of fluid under pressure, having a combustible added thereto, admitted under the control of distributing means. In this connection it has already` been proposed to employ two interconnected distributors one adapted toadmit :1n-'explosive mixture to l, one cylinder during the compression stroke and the other to simultaneously admit elastic fluid to anothery cylinder priorto cm-y mencementof the working stroke the effort due tofexpansion of the elastic fluid in the first cylinder being followed by the effort due to explosion of the elastic fluid in kthe second cylinder, the said distributors being set by hand s o that the admission-0f the fluids can be made to the pair of cylinders most advantageously placedl whenl the engine isat rest. Distributors are also known, l

drivenfrom the engine, adapted tolestablish communication between a. pair of' cylinders y 'and-a source of elastic fluid intended to introduce a. combustible equally thereinto, `the charge in one cylinder being .compressed 1 -whilst the chargein the other is doing work..

Such' distributor is synchronized with' the engine shaft-so that when the 'engine is at rest the distributor yis ready to'act' as desuch-anarrangement however -it will j scribed vwith a pair of the cylinders.- With be ob- V vious that the Huid admittedto vthe cylinder wherein the compression stroke ris taking f placel unduly opposes the Astarting eii'ort of theexploding charge. The object of the present" invention is to overcome this objection and it consists in employing a distribu tor which-whilst driven by the engine to enable starting to beeil'ected in whatever position the engine may come to rest, does not simultaneously admit fluid equally to the starting cylinders but is' designed to admit a relatively 'large quantity to one cylinder during ,its working stroke vand smaller qlixantitiesto the oneor rtw.c' ,cy1indergx `whi will perform their working strokes 4nex'tinorder. The mechanism Amay `consist-of a vrotary valveor of a, set of ordinary Vmushroom valves conrectedto the engine'to be started..

But invorder. that fthe' yinvention may be readilyiunderstood it will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which depict means suitable vfor a fourcylinder four cycle automobile engine and which may be taken as typical.

In thesaid drawings, y Figure 1 is a. section taken centrally through` a rotary distributor according to the invention; l Figure 2 is a view at right angles to Figure 1 with parts removed and parts in section;

Figure 3 is a. section through a detail of Figure 1; 'Y

Figure 3 is a plan view of the valve disk detached;

l Figure 4 is a section of one of a number of valves .for connecting the distributor tol Figure 9 is a semi-diagrammaticviewof face viewvof a portion there` an air receiver and pump arrangement suit-v able for use with the distributors;

Figure 10 is a similar view of a portion -of Figure 9 with parts in a vdiii'erent posi tion; and

Figures modified form of Figure 9.

Referring first to Figures 1 melissa Figure 5 is a sectional vieW'of a lift valve 11 and 11'* are detail views of a l detail view, in elevatiomof sov 'air tight receiver with a cover 2 into which compressed air or other .gases are admitted through any convenient pipe 3 and nipple/i'. ,At the bottom or end of the receiver four openings 5 are provided spaced at4 90 deof operations such cylinders each' connection being by .way of a tube 6 `or itseq'uivagrees a art, and each of these openings oor- 'lent `and preferably through anon-return' 'valve 7 Figure 4, .whichm'ay' take the place the*teeteockv 8 being placed above esshown.

of. the customary testcock in each cylin der,

Cooperating with the openings is a disc 9 driven by a Spindle and chainwheel l1 or other convenient means, at half the speed of the main shaft of the engine. Through this disc a slot 12, Figure 3,-is cut, its length subtending an an le of about 60 degrees and its wldth being preferably the same as the diameter of the openings 5 in the bottom of the receiver 1.

No cranking is necessary to place the engine in' position for starting, because the compression in one or other cylinder alwa s brings thepengine to a standstill in exact y the best starting position for the distributor to work as soon as fluid under pressure is admitted to the receiver 1. When the disc -9 is rotated in the proper direction compressed air or gas is admitted in rotation to each cylinder during its explosion stroke, thus transforming the engine momentarily into a compressed air or compressed gas engine, not one cylinder. alone, but each cylinder being in turn effective. Each non return valve 1 i 7 acts so that nothing b'lows back from the cylinder. The engine will continue to run as long as compressed air or gas at a proper pressure is supplied to the distributor, and

v1f gas or combustible be supplied in the ordinary way to the engine it will fire and` start oli on gas, alcohol, naphtha or petroleum Without in any way being disturbed or disturbing the compressed air or .gas a1-` rangement.

A valuable addition may be simply made consistingin the provision at the centre of the disc 9 lf, a V-shaped cavity 13 communicatin' with a passage 14 adapted to-registerwit each of openings 5 and the associated cylinder-,next in firing order tothe one into which compressed air or gas is being conducted by. the slot 12. A small pipe 15 for naphtha or hydrocarbonY provided vwith a lnon-retlvlrn valve 16 'leads `to the centre of the cover 2 ending in a fmely'pointed screw 17 companion to the cavity 13 in the disc 92 y This forms 'an-adjustable naphtha or hy- Y i drocarbon vapourizer or injector, the com- ,l i pressed air admittedat the nipple k4 forming 50,

and driving the vapour into-thel cylinder on v its compression stroke just before firing, and during the admission of a heavier chargek of fluid to the cylinder then undergoingtsfiring stroke. So effective is this that it startsl a cold engine instantly-and it further conp. ltinues working the enginefasa naphtha enginey even on load as long as compressed air vand naphtha ,are supplied through the dis-l tributor without its being necessary'to supply any gas through the Carburettor in the ordinary way. The vsame results, can be achieved by the modification `shown in Figures 5 and 6. s p

The distributing receiver 18 is' preferably of rectangular shape with thel four pipes 6 or connections to the four cylinders Nos. I, II, III and IV in line.

A shaft 19 rotating at half the speed of the engine opens valves 20 in succession to admit 'compressed air or gas from the inlet pipe 3 to the cylinders during and inthe order of their explosion strokes. In the form shown in Figures 5 and 6, the order of the numbering I IV II III on the feed pipes and valves is intentional and is due to the crank arrangement of the main shaft of the engine and the cycle of operations in the cylinders, being the order ofthe explosion in the cylinders. At the entrance to each cylinder close to the engine, a non-return valve as in Figure 4 may be fitted although not absolutely stroke, valve 2() No.1 lifts off its seat admit-y ting air 'or compressed gas to cylinder No. I the pressure of such air acting through passage 21 .upon naphtha supplied vto the system by a pipe 22 and forcing vapour into cylinder No. II onits compression stroke ready to ignite. These passages are easily drilled through the massief the receiver. A nonreturn valve not shown is provided for the n naphtha supply at 22.. Separate independent naphtha injection, but the above arrangement has been found tol giver good results. To enable the drilling of the valve seats to be more easily done and for repairs the valve vfrom*the'remaining'forms- This is due pri` marly to' the facty thatl in the remaining forms thev connections 6 can be led to any de- Thus Va ne passage 21 drilled valvesv may ofcourse be used for the air and sired cylinder, so that the single rotating valve 9 can have its progressive advance in ,the direction of rotation, and bring'` the sequence of ports in the regular progression, yas indicated in? Figs. 2 and 8, for instance; however, in Figure 5, each port has its indi-` vidual valve, with the valve located so as to be opened in synchronism with the explosion stroke of the corresponding cylinder of the ,m0

Acylinder block, and hence the order of' firing or of valve opening movements is not in regular progression from one end of the block to .the other, but is in accord -with the irregular progression that is Icommon in the usual four-cycle engine practice, opening of the valve for the explosion stroke (III for instance in Figure 5) 'admitting the com-V vcycle engine, when the firing order or the arrangement of the engine cranks required ajdifferent tiring order, the relative order of opening the valves would be accordingly varied to ensurevfluid admission to both the working cylinder and the next cylinder firing order.

The naphtha or hydrocarbon injector according to Figure 1 in conjunction with the distributor Vmay `also be employedl to inject va. correct starting mixture controllable by screw 17, into the engine cylinders when on their explosion stroke. the mixture being exploded with an electric'spark just after the iniect-ion. With this arrangement the amount of air used is much smaller and the pressure can be much reduced; but provision must be made for the sparking to take place when the piston in operation is inst past the mid position on its explosion stroke. olosion takes place with the'engine standing still or onlybeginning to move; but theshock to even a large engine can be entirely controlled by adjusting the mixture by the screw 17 and lby lselection of the position of the pistonwhen the spark -is allowed to ignite the mixture.

For the latter purpose the means shown in Figure 7 may be employed where a vulcanized Yfibreor other insulatixnr adjustable ring 25 is fixed to the back of the distributor. 0n this ring four` metal buttons 26, placed at 90 degrees apart and insulated from the body of the distributor. are connected oneto each sparking plug inthe cylinders either directly or. through a coil. Contact fingers 27 on. a member 28l rotating WitlLbut insulatedfrom the disc 9 complete the circuit. through av -slip ring 29 on the periphery of theinsuv ycurrent as may be preferred.-but the spark--v i ying should be maintained when starting the '3 engine as longas the circuit is complete or it should take place when the circuit is comv pleted' and not only when this contact is actuallv made andV broken otherwise there would be no' sparking when'the engine was.

directhigh tension distribution it may ad- The first ex-L vantageously be enclosed bya fibre cover 31 Y to keep it clean.y l

Cncethe engine has started and passed the first dead point the spark can be advancedby moving the insulating ring 25v4 by means of the arm or handle 32 and so increa-se the speed. s u

VEnhanced results are obtainable by the double oreven treble injection of explosive mixture with. distributors according to the invention which can be Acoupled up directly fand driven together with the spark distributor and even'the complete ignition apparatus either spark coil or magneto together with vits `distributing apparatus.l

.The distributing apparatus for the spark coil or magneto should be arranged to re.

tard and advancethe spark some 90o` and to enable a spark to be produced even when the engine isstanding still. The double or treble injectionreferred to is easily obtained by themodifications now about to be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8 which show a more` convenient form of distributor wherein the vvaporizer, since only explosive gases lare used, is` placed preferably outside the cover 2, and shaped las shown. The disc 9 in this example has three slots as shown in-Figure 8 designated 34, 35. The cylinder No. I on its explosion v'stroke has, by way of the slot 33, a large passage for the explosive'mixture to enter the cylinder; No.` II en its compression stroke has a smaller passage by Way of slot 3ft/andthe' cylinderl No. III on its suction stroke has another entrance by way of slot,

35 preferably smaller still.

The result is an explosive mixture under A pressureV in the explosion cylinder No. I'

and sufficient explosive mixture. in the two other cylinders Nos.' II and IIIUto follow.

The spark takes place in the explosion cylinder driving the engine over the dead pointwhereupon No. II will ignite from the ordinary vsparking arrangements close around the `dead pointv or from thel adjustable los the place of the 1st cylinder and cylinder v No,v 'III will take the place of No. II. It is' l'thus impossible fory the engine toffal V i startif 'everythingps lin order, ymd they-.adi milde rvperfect ',Pelfma' justment can be nent.- A steel bottle l2O inches longby 4 'inches' in diameter when filled with nir at IAO-lbs'.

pressure per sanare inch.' will start .e720 H. P. automobile engine six or seven times', before refilling is. necessary and this. bottle together with a small air pump for keeof` `ing` it filled can easily vbe Acarried on the chassis of a small automobile. The `com-4 pressed air can also very conveniently be used for infia-ting the tires and blowing the horn.

From the foregoingI description of the distributing means and its operation it will be apparent that the difference in the sizeof .the ports or the relative periods during which they are open controls the volumetric flow of compressed fluid or explosive mixture to the cylinder in such manner that a greater flow is admitted to the working cylinder than to the compression cvlinder and a differentia-l'pressure in the different cylinders produced which results in an initial starting movement of the working piston same, the pressure feed being through the common pi e 3, the smaller volumetric charge to yt e com ression cylinder being due, in the case of igures and 8, to the smaller area of the ports, and in Figure 1 to' a similar reduced port'area as well as to the limited extent of the port 14 which imposesv a time limit on the duration of its coto it by any incidence with the openings 5 whereby the rate per unit'of time during'which the starting fluid and explosive mixture are admitted to their' respective cylinders is controlled yto produce the differential pressures above referred to.

To complete the starting equipment a pump may be employed with entirely automatic air control maintaining the air pressure in the airbottle at a constant pressure within'very'sm'all limits, and this pressure can be regulated entirely at will within the working limits'o'f the 'air pump. Thus in 'Figure 9, 36 is a reciprocating air pump' driven preferably by the engine and coupled ordinary means. i A convenient size of cylinder is about 2%inches stroke and 1% Ainches in diameter, the crank working inoil. Av suction and a delivery pipelead into the head'of thiscylinder each with a non-return valve properly laced. The

suction vvalve is shown 2113.737' an the delivery valve at .:l8,`they delivery leadingto the bottle p orI reservoir 39 and on' to the engine through the, starting cock .orv valve for `closing the bottle when the car is not in use. LThe control is effected entirelyv by holding the suc-f tion valve 37 open when the pressure 'inthe delivery pipereaches the liigliei-"lirnitv re-y quired, and by releasing' 'this valveandallowing it to work normally again when the pressureis low in the delivery pipe. This operation is in turn etfected'by-a. smallfcylagainst a. spring 43 regulated by a. thumb screw 44. The piston rod extends through the spring 4 3 and through" the thumb screw, its end beingconnected through a small link 45 to a. lever 46. The opposite end of this lever works on a fixed pivot 47.. On the same pivot 47 another lever 48 works, its opposite extremity being fixed to a rod 49 which presses the suction valve of the pump inwards oil'its seat when required and ,so stops the pump from-feediiig. This rod 49 is forced in or out of the .valve by the spiral springy 5() stretched across the'extremities of the two levers 46, 48.

The cylinder 42 communicates through a i small pipe 51 with the air pump delivery so that on account of a. rise in the air pressure the piston has forced the llever 46 to the right as shown, the spring 50 which previously acted to the opposite side 'of the tion shown in Figure 10, allowing the sucf tion valve to work normally.

- By these levers and springs a uick break releases it-entirely or lifts it olf its seat without any intermediate position.

Figure 11 and Figure 11n show a modifica-` tion applicable to another method of effecting the control, consistinfr in holding the suction valve 37 firmly von its seat by the conaction on the valve is obtained w ichl either trolling piston 49to' stop the pump feeding l the bottle, andfreleasing it for normal feed, the reverse ofthe first method. When the valve 37 is in an u'nseated` position it is loosely held `so that the working of the pump causes this valve to seat momentarily so that air is forced into the tank. However, when the valve 37 is rigidly held upon theseat the entrance of air to: the pump is prevented, thus preventing the'pump from feeding the bottle. The release of the valve is achieved by connecting the rod49 directly tothe valve proper and causing the pressure of spring 50 whenthe piston in the cylinder 42 occupies the position shown, to be transmitted from the lever 48 to .the rod 49 through a link 52. The said lever 48 andv link 52 constitute a ,togglethat vwill not collapse under` pressure 'of the s ring' 50 but which .will yield 'and permit -t e valve 37 to open when the pressure in. cylinder 42 advances the.l piston and allows the lever`48 to' be ydis laced to decrease the force exertedby t e springv 50 ksuiliciently for the valve 37 to'zopen auto- ."niaticallyagain. Y f l Of course any suitable pump can be v,used 'automaticallyor otherwise. i

Claims pertaining tof-the :general arrangelos . receiver for controlling lets, a port 1n said va ment of Figs. 7 and 8 are included within a divisional application hereof filed June l1, 1927, Serial No. 198,237.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is 1. In a. device for starting and applicable to the operation of internal combustion engines, means for supplyin compressed fluid, means for supplying fue receiving means for said fluid and fuel, said last mentioned meansprovided with means for distributing n:compressed starting fluid' to one cylinder whenfits piston ison its working stroke for vstarting bythe expansion of said fluid, and

a compressed carburetted mixture of fluid and :fuel to another cylinder when its piston ison its compression strokesaid distributing means bein tinued distribution of said fluid and mixture to working and compression cylinders in capable of effecting the concyclic manner during the operation of the engine.

2. In a device for starting and applicable to theoperation of internal combustion engines, a compressed fluid suppla fuel supply, a device for receiving said uid and fuel, said device having means for simultaneously and automaticall 'distributing compressed fluid to one cylinl er when its iston is on its working stroke for starting an a carburetted mixture of fluid and fuel to another cylinder when its piston is on its compression stroke.

3. In a distributingdevice for starting and applicable to the operation of internal combustion engines by compressed fluid, means for admitting compressed fluid, means for admitting fuel, means for receiving said fluid and fuel, said last mentioned means provided with means for distributing simultaneously compressed fluid into one cylinder Vwhen its piston is on its working stroke for starting and a char e of carburetted mixture to another cylin er when its iston is on its compression stroke during a s orter portion of thestroke. i

J4. In a device for starting and applicable to the operation of internal combustion engines, a distributing receptacle, means for supplying compressed fluid and fuel thereto, means in said receptacle for distributing a charge of fluid into one cylinder and for simultaneously admitting under pressure a smaller carburetted charge into/the next cyl-l inder in firing order.

5. In a device for startin and applicable tothe operation of internacombustion eni gines, a starting fluid receiver, a compressed fluid inlet to said receiver, startin fluidl inlets to each cylinder, a rotary va ve in the ve permittin admission of 'starting fluid to the inlets o the cyl.- inders in sequence, av smaller port in said the starting fluid in-A valve permitting simultaneous admission of carburetted fluid to the inlet of the cylinder` next in firing order, means for rotating said valve, and means for regulating the supplyl of fuel supplied.

6. In a device for starting and applicable to the operation of internal combustion engines, a starting fluid receiver, a compressed fluid inlet to said receiver, starting fluidv inlets to each cylinder, a rotary valve in the receiver for controlling the startingfluid inlets, a port in said Vvalve to admit starting fluid to the inlets in sequence, a smaller port v in said valve to permit admission of carburetted fluid to the inlet of the cylinder next in firingorder, andmeans for rotating said valve.

7. In a distributing device for starting. and applicable to the operation of internal com- .bustion engines by compressed fluid, means for admitting fuel, means for admitting compressed fluid, means for receiving said fluid and fuel, said last mentioned means provided with means for distributing simultaneously compressed fluid into one cylinder vfor starting, and a smaller charge of carburetted mixtureinto the next cylinder in firing order, and means for continuing to distribute such carburetted charge vinto each cylinder in cyclic order for iunning the engine.

8. Means for start-ing and running internal combustion engines, comprising in combination, a receiver, a compressed-fluid inlet to said receiver, a fuel inlet to said receiver,

4conducting passages from said receiver toA the cylinders of the engine, means for controlling said passages for the simultaneous distribution of a charge of compressed fluid into one cylinder for starting and a lighter compressed carburetted charge to the next cylinder in firing order, means for regulating the proportionate amountof fuel and compressed fluid in the charge, and automatic check means closing off communica'- tion between a cylinder in which the compressed cliarge of mixture is rcd and the conducting passage to such cylinder when such firing takes place.l v

9. In means for starting multi-cylindrical internalfcombustion engines, wherein fluid active in developing piston movements in cylinders of the engine is made active with the cylinders in a predetermined cycle to produce the starting activity, valve mechanism for controlling delivery and distribution of fluid to the cylinders in accordance to the cylin er next active in the firing cycle,

said port means being active in such delivery during the period of fluid delivery to the in the-flrin order than is delivered to the working cy inder during the period of delivery activity to the latter cylinder, whereby the volume of fluid delivered to thecylinder next in firing order will be substantially less than the volume delivered to` the working cylinder during the delivery period to the latter cylinder.

10. In means for starting and running multicylinder internal combustion engines, wherein an intermittent flow of starting fluid is introducedtothe cylinders in predeter-v mined cycle to produce ystarting activityvand a similar intermittent flow of carburetted mixture is introduced to the cylinder to provide explosive charges, means directing the starting fluid to the working cylinders7 means directing the carburetted mixture to the compression cylinders, and means limiting the volumetric flow of the carburetted mixture to the cylinders. at a ratel per unit of time below that of the flow of the starting fluid to the working cylinders whereby a differential starting ressure biasedv in favor of the working cy inders is obtained.l p 11. In means for starting and Arunning multicylinder internal combustion engines, wherein-al starting fluid is-rnade active with the cylinders. in a predetermined cycle to produce the starting activity, valve mechanism to control the delivery of thestarting fluid to the cylinders in accordance with sucn cycle, and means for delivering the fluid to the valve mechanism with the fluid under compression, said valve mechanism being arranged to. deliver starting fluid to the working cylinder at a rate per unit of time such as to provide the volumetric ilow required in producing the initial starting impulse, said mechanism also lhaving portmeans active to deliver starting fluid to the cylinder undergoing compression, said ort means being active in such delivery wit in the period of delivery of fluid to 4the working cylinder, and being arranged to admita lesser volume of fluid to thecompression vcylinder than is delivered to thelworking cylinder during the period of delivery activity to the latter cylinder, .whereby the total volume of fluid passing through the port means to the compression cylinder wil be substantially less than the volume delivered to the working cylinder during vthe delivery period to thelatter cylinder. 12. Engine actuating means according to claim 11' characterized in that the difference in volume delivered to thev working and comthe compression cylinder at a predetermined Y period within the active period of delivery ,y

of fluid to the working cylinder.

14. In means for starting multi-:cylinder internal combustion engines, f wherein Huid active in developing piston movement in cylinders of the engine is made active with the cylinders in a duce Athe, startin the fluid yto thecylinders inV accordance with suchcycle, said mechanism including port means active to deliver such fluid concurlrently to a plurality of cylinders successively active in the lfiring. cycle and in `une ual predetermined cycle to proactivity, valve; mechanism, for lcontrolling eli'very and distribution oit' volumetric amounts in the'several receiving' the volume delivered to the working cylinder being substantially greater than that deliveredto thevjcylinder next in irin order, the port means being arranged in suc manner thatth'e concurrent delivery-of fluid' `to the several cylinders during each iiring cyclestage yis completed during the `period of `delivery of luid to thecylinder active as the working cylinder of that stage f l 15. Engine actuating means as in claim 14, characterizedin that the valve mechanism movement are'synchronized With'movements-of the engine in such manner that maintenance of fluid delivery during a plurality cfr/successive stages of the cycle will produce running yconditions of the' engine,

lther port means activity with cylinders being such that the volumetric-relation in delivery between the working cylinder and-the cylinder next inliri order is maintained in each stage of the ring cycle, the latter cylinder in any one stage becomin active as the working cylinder in the succee ing stage. In testimony whereof I aiix my si" nature 'this 7th day of January, 1926, at etroit,

Michigan I `CHARLES FREDERICK HEYwoo'D. 

